UPDATE: One officer killed, one wounded in Leschi shooting

Listen to the full Sunday afternoon briefing here from Interim Seattle Police Chief John Diaz, Mayor Greg Nickels and others:

Seattle police had no clear suspects or even a specific color of a suspect vehicle after one officer was killed and his student trainee was wounded Saturday night when someone fired on their parked patrol car.

The deceased officer was identified as field training officer Timothy Q. Brenton, 39, of Marysville. He joined the Seattle police department in December 2000. He is survived by his wife, an 11-year-old daughter and an 8-year-old son, and his father, a retired Seattle police officer.

The student officer was identified as Britt Sweeney, who began her training approximately seven months ago.

Mayor Greg Nickels ordered city flags lowered to half-staff until after Brenton’s funeral.

“All resources will be used, no matter what it takes, to bring these people to justice,” Seattle interim Chief John Diaz told a Sunday afternoon press conference.

Sweeney was in the driver’s seat and Brenton in the passenger seat when another vehicle – described as a light-colored small car, possibly a gray or white Toyota – drove next to them. Police do not know how many people were in the suspect vehicle, but one started shooting through the passenger window of the police car.

There was no warning, officials said.

The student officer in the driver seat ducked, but was grazed by at least one bullet. The field training officer was hit multiple times and died at the scene.

Police did not officially release details about the deceased officer, other than saying he was a man. Assistant Chief Jim Pugel said only that the student officer was a woman who had been with the department about seven months.

“The car backed away and the student officer exited the patrol car and began shooting and returning fire at the suspect vehicle,” Pugel told reporters at a 2:30 a.m. briefing near the scene.

“We do not have the suspect vehicle at this moment, and we don’t know who the suspect is.”

“All Seattle police units that can assist are investigating now.”

A witness said he heard eight to 10 rounds in the first set of gunfire, and shell casings were collected at the scene. Police did not say what type of weapon was used.

A woman was heard on a police radio calling for help about the time of the shooting. Another voice was heard shortly after saying there was an officer down. But it was not immediately clear if the woman was the officer grazed by gunfire.

Seattle police said two tip lines were open at (206) 233-500 and (206) 343-2020, the latter operated by Crime Stoppers of Washingon, which is offering a $20,000 reward. Anonymous tips are accepted, police said.

Following the shooting Saturday, some police were told of a man in his mid-20s who had been booked into King County Jail for investigation of threats. He was released on bail about 6:45 p.m. Saturday, according to jail records. That man was arrested again and booked into jail Sunday morning for investigation of obstruction.

Asked about the man, Pugel said officers are looking at several potential suspects, “but we don’t have anyone specifically identified at this time.”

Witnesses were being interviewed early Sunday morning. A press conference with Interim Chief John Diaz and other police officials was expected Sunday afternoon.

Diaz and Assistant Chief Nick Metz were with the family of the officer killed Saturday, a spokesman said.

Department officials said about 3 a.m. they were still trying to reach the immediate family members of the deceased officer – one reason why his name and department history were not disclosed early Sunday.

Patrick Kane, who lives a couple blocks from the scene lights a candle and meditates near where a Seattle Police officer was killed. “I am paying respect in the way I know. Nobody deserves to have this happen,” he said. (Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com)

“The officers are very upset,” Pugel said. “This is highly unusual. This is an attack on not only police officers, but on society as a whole.”

The shooting happened the night after the Seattle police awards banquet, where several officers were honored for bravery and dedication, and Chaplain John Oas reminded the crowd of officers lost in the line of duty.

Student officers are paired with field training officers who provide patrol guidance and input, in a job shadow-type role, Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said. The student officer phase is generally three and a half months, and field training officers are typically paired with them in precincts for about a month.

“It’s actually a privilege to be a field training officer – you have to be specifically chosen and you undergo special training,” Whitcomb said. “You’re basically a teacher and mentor to new officers.”

About 2:45 a.m. Sunday, a Medic One unit carrying the deceased officer turned from Martin Luther King Jr. Way onto East Yesler Way.

A procession of police cars follows the medic unit carrying the body of a Seattle Police officer who was killed in the line of duty. (Joshua Trujillo, Seattlepi.com)

A procession of 31 law enforcement and Seattle Fire Department vehicles with lights on followed the unit carrying him to Harborview Medical Center.

The officer is the first killed in the line of duty since Joselito Barber died in a car collision Aug. 13, 2006. That incident happened at 23rd Avenue and East Yesler Way, a few blocks from Saturday’s shooting scene.

The officer’s death was the 17th homicide in Seattle this year, and the 11th by gun violence. Saturday’s officer shooting came on the first anniversary of the Central District shooting death of Quincy Coleman, a juvenile killed in what police said was a gang-related incident near Garfield High School.

In the past 25 years, eight Seattle officers have been killed in the line of duty, including Saturday’s incident. Department records show there have been 58 Seattle police officers killed in the line of duty since 1881.

Saturday’s incident was the first Seattle police shooting death since Antonio Terry was killed trying to help a motorist in 1994.

Here is a recap of the most recent cases:

Aug. 13, 2006: Joselito Barber was killed when a GMC Yukon ran a read light and broadsided his patrol car. Police said the driver, Mary Rivas, was speeding and under the influence of cocaine and alcohol. She was sentenced in 2007 to 21 years in prison.

March 16, 2005: Jackson Lone, 39, a member of the Seattle Harbor Patrol, died after falling into the Lake Washington Ship Canal in Fremont while trying to secure a loose tugboat.

March 13, 2002: Officer Gary Lindell, a member of the mounted patrol unit, died from complications from a head injury suffered three years earlier when he was thrown from a horse during a training exercise.

May 12, 1995: Officer Kenneth Davis died in a traffic accident as he left the North Precinct. He was in his personal vehicle, which was struck by a motorist fleeing a Washington State Patrol trooper.

June 4, 1994: Officer Antonio Terry was shot and killed when he stopped to help what he believed was a disabled motorist on an offramp of Interstate 5 south of downtown. One of those in the car opened fire, mortally wounding the officer.

April 23, 1985: Officer Dale Eggers was fatally shot in the head while working off-duty at a Seafirst Bank branch on Beacon Avenue South.

Dec. 18, 1984: Officer Nick Davis was killed when he fought with a man who had fled a First Hill restaurant without paying the bill. The man was able to gain control of Davis’ gun, shooting and killing the officer.

Officers at the scene Saturday night near 29th Avenue and East Yesler Way. (Joshua Trujillo,seattlepi.com)

Information from our television news partner, KOMO/4, is included in this report.